


A Better One

by TheLittleBlackPrince



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Is Not Okay, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Episode: s02 Glaciator, F/M, Future Character Meeting, Looking for a Beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26137753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittleBlackPrince/pseuds/TheLittleBlackPrince
Summary: The man _he looks to be at least twenty_ gives her a distress look and then look away. She manages to make out some of his mumbling this time. “This wasn’t going to go this way… Time lines… I forgot about that. I… I should…planning…it always… her thing…” the man is fidgeting and darting looks around her balcony and muttering to himself and…Yeah, that is definitely NOT her partner.(It wasn’t safe. Thiswhole thingisn’t safe...Buthedoesn’t seem safe…)- or the one when Chat Noir finally lose his patience and get the matters in his own hands.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 43
Kudos: 93





	1. A Broken Man

**Author's Note:**

> the path the show is taking? yeah, this fic is 'an ending with high possibility of happening in the real life' ending for it.  
> (allow me to remind you once again that i am _not_ a fan of marinette and her actions.  
> i _do try_ to stay fair though.)  
> (don't read this if you have bad history. there is a lot of... panicking and stuff.)

“I need to talk with your kwami.”

_Is the first thing he says.

Marinette just stares with shock, speechless, at the huge cat on her balcony.

“What_?”

That’s all she mange to say, all she manage to process before Chat Noir starts to talk again.

“Tikki. I need to talk to her.” He talks faster this time. He sounds really urgent.

She should just let him do what he asked for. If, there wasn’t the fact that he wasn’t supposed to know about all of… _this_.

“What are you_ I mean I don’t know what do you mean! Who is Tikki? Hehe.” She laughs nervously and makes a poor attempt on hiding her secret Identity. But it’s hard, because she is for sure freaking out. How the hell did he…

And then he gives her a _look_.  
A knowing look.  
A ‘why the hell are you even trying?’ look.  
A… an _old_ look.

And then she starts to see what she faltered to before, due to her panic.  
Chat Noir is too tall.  
He is too broad-shouldered.  
His poster is all different.  
There is so many things that are all just so _wrong_ about him.  
Wrong because…

This is not Chat Noir.

“Who are you?” she demands with a very Serious and harsh voice. She _tries_ for it too sound demanding but there is a man _akuma? _ on her balcony, in her partner’s skin, demanding to see her _kwami_. She has _every_ _right_ to be scared.

The confuse look the man gives her also confuse her. What? Did he really thought she is just going to do whatever he told her?

“You don’t_ Oh. OH!” the man press a hand to his forehead and start to mutter Incomprehensible words under his breath.

Marinette is now really anxious. “Answer me right now!” she manages to snap at him this time.

The man _he looks to be at least twenty_ gives her a distress look and then look away. She manages to make out some of his mumbling this time. “This wasn’t going to go this way… Time lines… I forgot about that. I… I should…planning…it always… her thing…” the man is fidgeting and darting looks around her balcony and muttering to himself and…

Yeah, that is definitely NOT her partner.

But there is also something about him, something so _painfully_ familiar that…  
she doesn’t want to think about it.  
It hurts.  
It…  
she already doesn’t want to hear the man’s answer to her earlier question.  
Which is stupid. Because there is a stranger on her balcony wearing her partner’s suit, knowing things he _shouldn’t_. But…

The man isn’t ok.  
He’s so _painfully_ _obvious_ , not ok.  
And why the hell is this going on her nerves?  
She isn’t heartless. She cares about people. She _likes_ helping people. She has _experience_ helping people like _this_. But this… there’s more to it. It unnerves her in a _personal_ way. So just what the hell…?

She doesn’t want to ask again.  
She know she needs to but she doesn’t _want_ to…

The man stares at her. The look startle her. She doesn’t have time to know why, she doesn’t have time to think about it, the man is talking again. With _her_.

“You at least saw Fu right?” he sounds pleading.  
She has no idea about who the hell is this guy, how the hell he get here, is he an akuma or not, she knows _nothing_ about him.  
And she already hates him sounding like that.

If this is an akuma, then she is already fucked.

But he said Fu. He meant… he meant master Fu, right?

“I…” she darts a look down to her room, it’s dangerous but she just doesn’t know what to _do_ and she needs Tikki and…  
she darts a look down and come face to face with Tikki’s horrified face.

The man pleads again. “Please answer me. Master Fu. The guardian. Do you know him?” his eyes are darting around again. “Please. I don’t know how much time I have.” He looks at her again and there is something familiar there again.

It scares her.

His comment makes her relax a bit because he knows master Fu. This… this is good, right? And doesn’t have much time? What is that supposed to mean?

(Not that all of this is making much sense but that comment, it has so many red flags in it. She doesn’t know _what_ are they but she knows they are _there_.)

She is starting to feel overwhelmed already.

“Yes I… I know master Fu.” She goes with the first answer in her mind that seems safe. The man gives out such a relieved sigh that she regrets not admitting it sooner.

(It wasn’t safe. This _whole thing_ isn’t safe. But…  
_he_ doesn’t seem safe…)

She finally asks what is unnerving her the most. “Are you ok?” she is worried. She is so anxious and scared and…

She is scared for _him_.

She doesn’t even _know_ him.

The man is muttering again. She just manage to get a few words. ‘Not’ and ‘long time’ and…

She already doesn’t want to hear the answer anymore.

(She knows the answer. She wish she _didn’t_. Because she doesn’t know why is she acting the way she is and she doesn’t _know_ him and…)

The man looks over at her again, well, he is actually looking down at her because she just has her head and shoulders out of the hatch.  
He doesn’t seem to care though.

He shakes his head to clear his thoughts and then nods “Ok. This is good.” He nods again. At himself mostly.  
She isn’t sure.

(She isn’t sure of _anything_ anymore. She isn’t even sure if this is some sort of dream or nightmare but…  
she doesn’t think about it.  
She won’t be able to _focus_ if she thinks about it.  
Focus now panicking later.)

He stares at her, hard and strong. “Ok. Look, I don’t know if you believe me or not. You probably don’t because it’s how you _are_ , and you probably already thing I’m some sort of akuma…” he is rambling.  
He is rambling and his not looking at her again and…

(She is pretty sure he is not an akuma.  
She doesn’t know _why_.  
She just _does_.  
He’s too… _real_.  
She doesn’t tell him that though. Because she can still be wrong.)

(She wants too though.)

He then suddenly freeze. Marinette looks at him alarmed. The man’s eyes snaps at her and starts to talk louder and faster. “I don’t have time for this! I don’t know how much time I have and I…” he suddenly looks hopeless.

Marinette’s heart ache.

But then he says something that makes it to stop.

“I’m from the future.”

Her eyes go wide, and her gasp is loud. The man flinch at the sound. Marinette flinch too.  
What the _hell_ did he went through_

He’s from the future.

He’s…That’s why… it’s _him_.  
That’s why his so _familiar_. It is really her kitty.  
She starts to looks closer and she can see it.  
She should ask more.  
She should ask for more evidence but, she can _see_ it.

She doesn’t like what she sees.

The man _the future Chat, holy shit! _ Jolts where he is standing. He is looking around again like he is afraid of something. Like he knows something is going to happen…  
Wait! He is from the future so_

“Look, I can prove. I… I _know_ I can. I don’t just… I don’t have time…” his movements become jerkier. He’s scared and he is so _miserably_ trying to prove that he is the real deal.

He starts to ramble. “I’m allergic to feathers. I get us out with my night vision during stormy weather. I actually died during time breaker. I was the one who got Theo akumatise. I… ”  
He stops to breath and then starts again with a more hopeful look towards her.  
“I confessed to you just yesterday. I took you there as Marinate first because Ladybug didn’t come. You said you love someone else. I gave you a red rose. I told you that ‘your friend ship_’”

“’Is everything to me.’” Marinette completes the sentence. He nods his head harshly.

She remembers those words vividly. And not just because it was the freaking _yesterday_. Because she’s sure she is _never_ going to forget those words.

(His expression, the way it made her feel things…  
she denies the last one but no matter how hard she tries she won’t forget.)

(She’s _not_ trying.  
She doesn’t _want_ to forget.  
She doesn’t think _why_.)

He looks hopeless again.” I came here with the rabbit miraculous. I don’t know if you_”  
“I know about the rabbit miraculous.” She rushes to assure him. Because he thinks she still doesn’t believe him. She does. She _did_ because she could just _see_ her partner in him. Because he _is_ her partner.  
“I believe you.” She tries to reassure him. “I _do_.” She repeats firmly.  
She wants him to stop being so nerves, so scared. She wants to reassure him so bad because, what the hell happened in the future_  
he proved it’s him. She is sure now. She can ask him to show her the said miraculous but she doesn’t _need_ to.  
She meant it when she said she believes him_  
and where the hell is the future Ladybug _her future-self_ when her partner is so visibly _hurt_. Emotionally hurt but _still_.

He looks relieved. But it doesn’t last for long. “Tikki. I need to talk with Tikki.” Her kwami darts out towards him and hover in front of his face. “Chat Noir what’s wrong? What are you_”  
Marinette knows what she wants to ask. He shouldn’t be here. Time is not for them to mess with.  
But Tikki stopped, because she realized something is horribly wrong.  
Anyone could see it by just _looking_ at him.

He doesn’t answer the little goddess. “Who put the secret Identity rule?” Marinette is baffled. She didn’t expect that.  
Apparently, also didn’t Tikki.  
“What?” her voice is faint from shock.  
Future Chat doesn’t seem to care.  
He asks again, this time more strict. “The secret Identity rule. Whose idea was that? Did you tell her that? Or was it purely her?”  
Tikki tries to regain her voice and answer, because as unexpected as it was, it is important.  
It seem important for _him_.  
Hell he came from the future just to talk to Tikki!

“It was me. I… it’s for safety reasons and_”

“I’m her fucking partner!”

They don’t expect the way he explodes from Tikki’s answer. Marinette flinch because this is what her partner always say but he never says it like _this_. Not this angry. Maybe sad, maybe annoyed, but he never snapped. He never_  
what the fuck _happened_ …

Tikki tries to hold her ground.  
Even so she is as worried as her chosen now.  
“It was safer this way. It was also the Guardian order_”  
he snaps at her again. “ _I_ wasn’t safe all this long! And I don’t give a shit about what did that old man thought. He never bother to connect me anyway!”  
Marinette heart stops.  
He wasn’t… he… master Fu never… but he said… he said it’s just not the _time_ …

Marinette suddenly is so scared and overwhelmed and panicked and…  
everything! She doesn’t know what to do!

She doesn’t need to do anything though, because something flickers over the blonds face, and he is not angry anymore, but he is looking around again.  
“Forget it. I don’t have time. Much important things to take care of.” He looks at Marinette and asks her this time. “Fu, how long were you seeing him?”  
Marinette is stunned. “I… I don’t… two month? Maybe three?” she tries to answer him, as fast as she can make her head works.  
She has like a, zillion questions, but it’s not the time. Helping her poor kitty first, anything else later.  
Marinette starts to get completely on the balcony because this doesn’t seem to end anytime soon.

(And she wants to be closer to him.  
She wants to hug him, to help him, she wants to fix things for him so _bad_ that her whole body ache.)

He is nodding again. His moves are jerky and he is going to hurt his neck like that and…  
there are already so things wrong about him.  
So many alarming signs.  
How the hell he get this bad? Why the hell didn’t she help him?  
There was still the matter of where the hell future ladybug was and why Chat really was in the past too.

“Ok. Ok. Rena Rouge. Is she part of the team yet?” she is surprised again. She tries hard to answer with anything but a stunned ‘what?’  
“Wh_ No? I don’t… I don’t know anyone with such a name?” it ends up like a question because, should she? Or is it a future thing again?

Chat Noir looks relax again.  
Well, as much as he can, with all the time thing and looking around thing and generally everything that is going on with him.  
“Ok. This is good.”  
She is now sure his nodding is to assure himself.  
“This is good. It’s not late.”  
He then seems to remember something because he change the last line rather sheepishly. “Ok, it’s not late for things with you and Chat Noir.”  
Marinette is scared because that sentence…  
that wasn’t…

She looks over at Tikki.  
The little ladybug seems as much alarmed.

Chat don’t seem to notice.  
He turns to her. “Ok. I need you to transform.”  
She is starting to hate that word. He use it so much to don’t be a tick.  
She tries to get her head in the game. “Transform? Why?”  
He looks annoyed and impatient.  
“Look, would you just stop asking question already? I don’t know how much longer I be able to stay here!” he snaps at her.  
She already wants ask more question but she stops, because she might not know what’s going on but she wants to help him.  
And as much being left alone in whatever-this-is without Tikki scares her, she wants to _help_ him, so she transforms.

“Ok. Now, check and see where is him.” Ladybug blinks a few times but obeys. To her surprise Chat Noir _the present one_ is actually out.  
“What? But why_”  
he interrupt her. “Where is he?”  
She still wants to know why is Chat out transform, when it’s not a patrol night, or how was this man so sure he is out, but she answers him.  
Because this ‘not having time’ thing is starting to unnerves her too.  
“Um, his near the Eiffel tower.”  
The man suddenly looks pained. “Of course he is.”  
He then turns around and yells for her to follow.  
She wants to know what made him look like that.  
She wants to know a lot of stuff but, she can’t.  
So she just takes after him.

It is then that it hits her.

Chat Noir sure didn’t come back in time just to ask them _questions_.

******

“My lady?” her partner is for sure socked to see her, On top of the Eiffel tower, at ten p.m. of a school night, like he didn’t expect her at all. She wants to point out he isn’t supposed to be there either, but the man next to her is already going straight to the point.

He goes ahead and grab Chat’s _oh this is going to be so confusing_ shoulders. The boy doesn’t even have a chance to react. The future cat is not waiting, he is trying to explain things as fast as he can because…yeah.

“I’m from the future. She knows. I went to her already.” He points to her. Her partner stares at her, looking as stunned as she _still_ _feels_. She nods and the younger hero relax.  
“Ok, if my lady believes you then so do I.”  
The comment alarms her.  
She is happy that he trusts her that much, she really is, but, he _shouldn’t_.  
At least not _this_ much.  
It’s dangerous.

(She ignores the whisper of ‘but don’t you as much?’ in her head.)

He shouldn’t…  
she looks over the future version of her partner.  
She thinks about things she just discovered from him.  
Things that aren’t about the future but the present.

She’s scared.

The man looks pained again. He backs away and starts to mutter to himself.  
Chat’s eyes go wide. “What!?”  
The other blonde immediately stops and gives him an alarmed look.  
“Nothing! Forget it!” he snaps at him loudly and her partner flinch.

She looks at the boy’s movement with increasing worry.  
Chat has super hearing.  
His future-self seemed to forget that.  
Like he forgot _where_ he was or _what_ he was doing or _who_ he was talking to.  
It’s worrying.

 _Everything_ about him is worrying.

(She doesn’t know _which_ him she means anymore.)

The adult _but is he? He is taller than the certain Chat but he still looks so young, so _little_ , so thin and _scared_ and he can’t be more than twenty-one top_ looks around one more time and then at them.  
“OK.”  
She is going to flinch every time she hears that word from now.

He takes a deep breath and finally says what he seemed to want all night.

“I need you two to drop your transformation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir...  
> Chat Noir is NOT ok.


	2. A Broken Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette was never this confuse in her whole life!  
> there is a Chat Noir who came from the future and he just told them that they should have a reveal!?  
> and where the hell is _her_ future self!?  
> this night couldn't get any more worse!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the future... is not good.  
> (it's not bated. i'm an alone poor writer who has no one but herself. so sorry for the mistakes)  
> (um and sorry if it's get a bit complected? writing about two Chat was really hard but i tried my best!)

The whole world seemed to fall quiet.

He…

He wants…

He wants them to…

“WHAT!?” she cries out. Her partner jaw is on the floor and she feels like… she doesn’t know how she feels anymore. This is… this is becoming too much!

“OK this is it!” She flinch at the word, even so she was the one saying it _she wasn’t kidding earlier_ she then ignores it and stares at the man who started all this. “I need explanations.” The sad look both cats give her is unnerving. This is not… she didn’t mean…ugh!

She wants to explanation. She doesn’t want to make them think it’s about _them_ _him. They are the same person. dammit! _ It’s just, Tikki said it’s _important_ and she’s been trying to hide it this long and… she doesn’t know how to explanation it anyway right now. She’ll just do it later.

(She doesn’t think about her fear of him being disappointed by seeing the girl under the mask. That’s not the main reason.)

(It’s a big reason but it’s not… it’s not _supposed_ to… she know she is being an idiot. This is her partner. Her best friend _sorry Alya_

She doesn’t seem to be able to _stop_.)

She looks over the_ “Ok first of all we need to find a way to clarify you two. Thinking about both of you as Chat is confusing.” The man opens his mouth to object, to probably says something about don’t having time, _again_ , but he stops by the glare she sent his way.

She doesn’t expect the way he flinch and backs away, so hard that he almost loose his balance. The whine from her right makes it clear that even _he_ didn’t expect it.

She tries to comfort him, she sure doesn’t know how but she tries. But he is already back to his normal safe _ _more_ normal self, he is still scared and restless and_ he gives her a fast solution. “Fine. Call him Chat I take the second part.” She nods, ok that’s good.

She then stares at _Noir_. “Now, I need to know what’s going on here. And stop with the ‘don’t having time’ thing.” Noir opens his mouth but shut it fast. He darts a glance over Chat and then start fidgeting and looking between them. It’s starting to really unnerve her. She can see that it is also unnerving her partner. Noir shouldn’t be like this. He is _older_ than them. Hell he is at the least six years older, so why?

“Noir.” She calls for him. His eyes snap at her. She is just realizing that she is staring _up_ .At someone taller than her, _older_ than her. All this time he was just so scared and frighten that she didn’t_ she tries to talk to him in a way she would to a skittish kitty. “We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s wrong.” It doesn’t occur to her that she said the wrong thing until his eyes go wide and he starts to shake his hade madly.

“Me!?” he Spites the word out. “I’m not…this is not…” he falters a few times and then suddenly point at Chat. “I’m here for him!” the said boy seems rocked. “Me!? Why!?” she looks between them for a few moments but when Noir refuse to say more she focus on him again. “Noir we need to know_” he interrupts her harshly. “No you don’t! Just go and do the damn thing already so I can tell you the rest. I also need the Plaggs to talk to each other_” Ladybug doesn’t want to interrupts him but she didn’t have that much options tonight. “Noir!” the boy stop talking immediately. It alarms her again. She tries to ignore it.

“Noir why are you in such a rush?” he doesn’t want to answer. But one look at her and his younger-self and he just… he looks _defeated_. “I’m going to die.” They both freeze. This is… she didn’t… but isn’t he like from the…

Her eyes go wide with realization. Noir looks at her for a second and then flinch. “yes.” He confirms her thought. It’s weird. Because he is not her partner to be able to read her but he also is? In a way?

Chat looks between them alarmed. ”What? Why is he going to die?” his face screams ‘WHAT AM I MISSING?’ and she knows how much he hate being left in the dark. He tells her that all the time. She tries to explain. “He’s from the future and future is not so subtle.” Chat takes a few second but then his eyes go wide to show he get it too. He turns towards the other boy. “You came here to change the future!?” Ladybug freeze a second time because… because she didn’t thought of that. It makes sense so bad though. He was so worried about dying _was he going to, like, have a heart attack or something? Or just, like, vanish? _ because he knew the future is going to change enough, for him to don’t be a part of it anymore. Well _this_ him.

This wasn’t one of those someone coming from the future doing something in the past for that future to happen in the first place.

That didn’t quite came out right even in her own head but it doesn’t matter! Whatever that was, this wasn’t like it.

“You came back here to change the future on _purpose_.” It’s not a question. Noir flinch again but he also start to defend himself. “I had to! You don’t know what happened!” he looks over his younger-self again. There is so much pain and sadness in it that they both shudder. “I had to.” He whispers hopelessly.

Marinette frowns. “But why? Are we going to lose or something? How is outing our secret identity is going to help that?” he doesn’t want to answer that. It just makes her more suspicious. “Is this why my future-self isn’t also here?” she honestly is afraid to ask that. To think that maybe she_

She is not prepared for the way Noir stares at her with horror and something darker in his eyes, or how he starts to search around more viciously. She looks over at her partner and their eyes lock. A few seconds later something flickers past Chat’s face. He turns to look at the still distress man with slightly wide eyes. He ask him in a cautious voice. “Noir are you… are you running away from _Ladybug_?” Noir suddenly goes very still.

Her heart stops. He is, isn’t he? Noir looks at them with fear. “I’m not supposed to…I’m not…it’s not like that.” He is begging them to believe that. To just stop asking. But she can’t. Something very obviously, _horribly_ went wrong in the future. Her future-self sort of mange to fuck up because this is Chat Noir their talking about. The very stupidly loyal cat who jumps in front of arrows, magical blast, anything considered _dangerous_ , because he is trying to keep _her_ out of it. The very stupid cat that his only reaction to her screaming at his head to stop doing those thing is that he’ll be fine in the _end_. That she is _more_ important. The very cat who confessed his long love to her and all he said after hearing she loves someone else, seconds after she broke his _heart_ , was that her friendship is everything to him.

It is very clear whose fault all this is.

“What did we do?” Chat’s sad whine startle her so bad she almost fall down the tower. She takes a few steps away from the edge _and towards her partner_ and hiss out in anger. “Why do you think it’s your fault!?” he looks at her with surprise. It just makes her angrier.

“I… I mean, because… it usually is?” Chat starts to look as scared as his older-self. “I mean, it probably was. I sure did something to hurt you or make you angry and you just end up realizing I’m not that helpful and…” he is rambling. If she wasn’t sure they are the same person she is now. But it also proves another thing.

He didn’t change.

She already is having some ideas about her partner _ideas she hates, ideas that she is angry she didn’t see until his future-self came and slap it at her face, ideas that _her_ future-self seems to still don’t have!_ and one look at Noir and she swear internal. Because clearly she still doesn’t even know the half of it.

“Chat!” she tries to stop him. To reassure him that he is not useless, that he is not…he shouldn’t think that way. She thought about something being odd about her kitty’s home life she never thought it’s _this_ bad. _Noir muttering to himself about _never_ being safe makes much more sense now_ she wants to help him to fix this, but she isn’t prepared at all. She should been. But she’s not. And now she has _two_ cat’s to comfort. And one of them is already _too_ gone and she doesn’t know _what_ to do.

“Help him.” She doesn’t expect Noir sudden appeal. She stares him stunned, he doesn’t seem to care. “I’m going to die anyway, I wanted to kill_” he stops but it’s already too late. She gasp sharply and Chat goes too still. She has the sudden urge to cry.

“ _Noir_.” Her voice is choked. “What _happened_?” he shakes his head. He looks over at Chat and shake again. “I shouldn’t… I don’t want him… he doesn’t know yet.” His words just confuse her. He start to pant. She runs to him with fear. “Hey! Hey it’s ok. I’m here.” She wince a second later because that is not probably as helpful as she wanted too.

It’s not. He backs away from her. His pupils are wide with fear. She wants to cry. She knows it’s not going to help. The idea of Chat also starting to panic suddenly strikes her. She looks at him with horror. He is scared and his breathing is shallow but he still seem fine. Not fine. Defiantly not fine but much better than his older-self. She has a guess why. She doesn’t like it at all.

(Chat already seems at the verge of having panic attacks. They are fourteen if she was right about the age thing then…

Too long. Noir was in this state for too long.)

(She was blind for too long.)

She is probably at the verge of having a panic attack too but then Chat goes towards Noir and hugs him in one motion.

Her breath catch in her throat.

She starts to breathe again when Noir start to come down.

It shouldn’t be this easy for Chat to be able to hug a man that tall fully or properly, if it wasn’t for how much noir was bending over and trying to fit himself in his arms.

She starts to cry then. Because it hurts. Seeing him like this _hurts_. He is so alone that he’s trying to_ they are the same _person_. Chat is trying to comfort _himself_.

And then she hears him. “It’s ok. I’m here. I’m _fine_.” Her heart ache. Of course. ”I’m fine. It’s going to be fine. You saved me. You _changed_ _it_.” she cries harder at the words.

He came back here because he wanted to ask for help for _Chat_. Because no one noticed it about _him_. Because it was going _too_ far, because he needed _help_ and he knew he won’t get it. But he still risked stealing a miraculous _no one obviously gave it to him. He ran _away_ from the future_ only to come back and give _Chat_ a chance. Not _himself_ , she knows him. She is sure in the way Chat control his own panic to comfort _Noir_. In the way Noir begged her to help _Chat_.

They are the same person but they don’t _see_ it that way. They put themselves aside just to help… _themselves_.

It’s crazy and confusing and sounds stupid but she _get_ it. Because she _sees_ it. Because she _knows_ him.

And all the while she sits there crying silent tears, unable to do _anything_.

She never felt this useless in her entire _life_.

What the _hell_ did _happen_?

*****

It takes time but they do all come down.

“Please tell him who you are.” Is the first thing Noir says_ how long was it? _ it could be hours_ it sure feels like days_ it’s the first thing he asks for. And she doesn’t even try to ask why it matters because it does for _him_ , because he wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t going to _help_.

She doesn’t think about why he asked _her_ to tell _him_. Not them to tell each other.

She does understand when Chat’s transformation drops in time with her. Noir drops his own and then clap his hands around something, she then realize it is his kwami. She also realize that both cat’s _now four_ are purring. That some of the shakes she saw earlier was from that.

It takes less than a second for Chat’s kwami to look at Noir and then growls at the other kwami. “ _Who did this to my kid?_ ” the future Plagg gives himself a sad look. “It’s not just one person. It… so many things went wrong and they _kept_ going wrong, and Fu wasn’t helping. And I don’t know what the fuck was wrong with Ladybug. I tried to tell Tikki.” He turns towards the ladybug kwami. ”I tried to _tell_ you. You refused to _listen_. For an awfully long time. Fu wasn’t helping AT ALL!” he glares at Tikki one last time _she flinch_ before turning to himself again. “He actually made things worse! He wouldn’t tell the kid _anything_. He kept pushing everything on Ladybug.” the other Plagg _it’s getting confusing again_ growls. He then starts to purr when he sees the way Chat flinch. “They were kipping him in the dark.” He tries not to hiss the words out and fail. “The kid has enough problems with that bullshit in his civilian life he doesn’t need more!” Marinette flinch only to realize Tikki doing the same thing.

“I didn’t…” she wants to say something. Anything really. But she can’t. Because she just can’t believe her freaking future-self. Is she fucking blind or something? How on earth did she miss this!?

The future Plagg turns to her again and snort. “And how did this all happen in the first place?” he snarls. “Because they didn’t know a fucking thing about him! They were supposed to be partners!” he growls harder this time and only lower his voice a little because Noir starts to shake badly again. ”because of the fucking identity secret rule! Because the fucking Fu kept making the rules gods in the girls head that she didn’t even listen to Tikki, when she _did_ start to vote for a reveal.” He snaps at her. “And then the stupid love Square and all the crazy feelings made it worse.” he suddenly remembers something because he gets angrier, his fair puffs in anger. “And then you went and fucking _argue_ with the kid over_” a hiss from Noir stops him.

“ **Don’t**.” he hiss the word at him. Marinette heart stops. What did they argue over? Plagg hiss back. “They should _know_.” Tikki tries to say something. “Plagg_” Both of them turn and snap at her. “ _Don’t_.” Tikki doesn’t listen. “Plagg time is not… we are not supposed to…” Noir’s Plagg explode. ”I don’t _care_ what are you supposed and supposed not to know. Not knowing anything almost get my kid _killed_!” her heart misses a few heart bits. So he really…

“Plagg don’t.” Noir warn again. The kwami turns to argue again but Noir shake his head. ”Don’t Plagg. He doesn’t need to know.” Marinette’s having mix feelings about that sentence. Both Plaggs seem to have objection. Noir shakes his head again, a little bit more furies this time. He then hugs Chat closer and that’s when she realize they didn’t get separated at all in the first place. Though Chat hugging Noir is now the other way around.

Noir hiss at them and repeat. ”he _doesn’t_ need to know. I don’t _want_ him to know. They are not going to happen anyway. Things are… they know_” he then stops. One look between the two teenagers and then he decide to just go ahead and do what he wants. “It’s _Marinette_ , _Adrien_ ” they both freeze. They did ditransformed but it was almost dark and they didn’t have time to focus and see the others face. But now.

Chat’s _ _Adrien’s_ _ head snaps to her and she stares right back. She then turn to look at Noir _ _older_ _Adrien_ _ and gets startle. He just seems so _tired._ And there are bags under his eyes like he didn’t sleep in ages. He seems like he is going to fall apart any second.

She is horrified. She can’t even think how Chat_ how _Adrien_ _ feels. To see your future in front of your eyes. A future like _that_. To see how horrible the years were to you.

(She suddenly doesn’t want to see herself anymore.)

And holy shit it is _Adrien_ _Agreste_ and she wants to freak out so bad. She wants to panic and ramble to Tikki to calm down but she can’t because this is not the time.

This is _not_ the time.

So she focus on that and pull all her freak outs _ _Adrien_ was flirting with me all this time, _Adrian_ confessed his eternal _love_ to me just _last night_ , I _rejected_ him, Adrien…_ she wraps them all with her magical yoyo _metaphorically_ and push them in a box in the depth of her head with a mark of _later_.

Because this is not the time. Because her future-self kind of manage to fuck up so bad and she has to fix it in _her_ place. She _wants_ to fix it but she also sort of wants to slap her future self across the _face_. Because how did she _miss_ this?

Both of Plaggs turn towards her and order. “Adopt him!” the boys cry out. “Plagg!” future Plagg snap back. “You’ll be safe there. She has a good life. I _know_ that because Tikki’s chosen are always _lucky_.” He scoffs and Tikki flinch. Marinette frowns. “Of course I’m going to do that!” Chat blush but Noir looks startled. Her frown deepen. “What? You didn’t really thought I’m going to let him out of my sight after all of this, did you?” and the way he steals his eyes away talks for itself.

She sigh tired. Because that’s how she feels. _Tired_. “Adr_Noir,” she stops before it get confusing again. “ _I’m not_. I help him. I help _you_.” She emphasis because he forgot again. That they are the same person. She opens her mouth but closed it again and blush. Adrien stares at her with curiosity. “My lady?” she is the color of her suit now. Because damn! Those words almost gave her heart attack. She looks at Noir and he… he is looking at her scared. Like he knows what she wants to say and… like he doesn’t believe…

She locks her thoughts again in the same box as before. She then stares at Adrien eyes. “I love you.” Adrien eyes almost fall out. But Noir flinch. She repeats again. “I love you. The reason I reject Chat, the boy I told you about, it was you.” Chat looks speechless. But he tries to answer her. “I… I don’t know what…” he then shakes his head and stares at her eyes again. This time determined. “I love you too my lady.” They are blushing like crazy and this was so sudden and so fast but…

But Noir finally, for the first time from the moment they met him, is smiling. It’s shaky and dim and he still looks like he wants to cry but… he looks at least a _little_ relax.

She tries to assure him again. “I love him.” And she wants to say ‘I love _you_ ’ but he is not going to believe that and he didn’t came for _himself_. So she swallows her sadness and try to make him at least believe what she can. “I love him. I _help_ him. I promise.” He still looks shaken but he also seems better. Adrien squeeze his arm. “It’s ok. You saved me.” Noir look between them again and a tear drop from his eyes. He then open his mouth to say something but…

His eyes suddenly widen and he clutches his chest. “NOIR!” they cry out for him but his fine. He doesn’t look like he is having a heart attack or something like that But_

And then she sees it. The way his poster seem to shack harder. He seems more… _dim_. He… is he… _fading_?

He snaps his head towards Plagg. “Takes their kwamis and tells them as much as you can.” His kwami looks pained. “Kid_” the holder snaps at him. “I’m already over Plagg! Go!” he flinch for a second but finally starts to fly to the other side of the tower. The other Plagg follow. Marinette looks at her own kwami, who was sitting on her shoulder quietly all this time. She looks sad and there are other emotions there but she doesn’t manage to read more because she is following her other half.

Noir’s voice makes her forget about Tikki for the moment. “Marinette.” She snap her head towards him. “Y-Yes?” he looks serious. “Take care of Lila Rossi.” Her eyes go wide. “Lila!?” he nods. “I don’t know how but she somehow manage to gain my father favor. She_” older Adrien flinch and the younger one follow suit and she doesn’t need to hear anymore. “I… yeah. Ok. I… I tried before but_” Noir shakes his head. “No. not like that. Don’t go just scream she is a liar it won’t work that way. She just drag you down.” She is the one who flinch this time. Because he is right. Why did she even do that in the first place? Lila is as sly as a fox, She_ “Evidence. You need _evidence_. You already _have_ evidence.” She gives him a confused look but Adrien suddenly straight. “Ladybug! Her first lie.” He looks at her and she already has a plan. And didn’t she says some other nonsense about jagged stone?

She nods. “Yeah ok. I know what to do now.” He relax and she is worried again. How many problem did Lila cause for him? She thought Lila liked_ she freeze. The image of Lila Rossi shoving her-self in Adrien’s personal space sparks in her head. She… his dad let her… Marinette suddenly feels seek. She was harassing_

“Go and see a therapist.” Noir tells Adrien. His eyes are pained and his lips are in a thin line. Adrien glances at her and then squeeze his eyes shut. Her heart squeeze for a hundreds time that night. He finally nods. Noir looks at her again. And asks her rather shy. “I know it might be too much… I didn’t mean to ask… this is already more than…” he is stuttering. Marinette gives him a worried look. “Noir it’s ok. What do you want to ask?” He looks at her and then at Adrien. He then turns towards her again. His eyes are dark. “Get him out of that house.” Adrian freeze. Noir grabs his shoulders and squeeze them but his eyes are still on her. He repeats more firmly. “Get him _out_ of that house. I don’t care where just_” he falters to say more again. “He needs… therapist… he needs… he needs _help_.” Adrien shrink to himself. He doesn’t say anything but he seems ashamed and she is angry. Why the hell should he be ashamed of asking for help?

_Because that’s probably what Gabriel taught him._

That thought just makes her nod harder. “I told you. I’m not going to let him out of my sight.” Adrien isn’t looking at her. They have a lot to talk about when this is over. When they both go back to _her_ home. She is going to get him out of that place as fast as she can and that means she is going to need help. God bless her parents.

She then flinch at the thought. Lucky. Plagg is right. She is lucky and Adrien… She looks over at him again. God there is so much to do and it probably going to get them ages to fix all of Gabriel’s damage.

She really hates his dad.

Noir is searching around again. It’s not as harsh as before. But he’s still clearly worried.

What was he waiting for? He said his in a hurry because he… No wait! He said he was running away from her _her future-self but still_ but didn’t he have the rabbit miraculous? How is she going to_?

She suddenly stops. No. Oh no. Please. She stopped! She didn’t_ she didn’t totally say it_ she didn’t jinx_

The sudden shine of a light and the portal that opens on her left, makes it clear that yes.

Yes she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _whoops!_  
>  Mari should really learn a thing or two about jinxing lol.
> 
> oh and about mari being so angry of herself? she is mostly angry, why the future one didn't do anything sooner. in her defence, and i say this for future ch too, she doesn't know the whole story. (though i sure enjoyed writing Mari shitting herself XD)
> 
> remember i said i try to be fair to her? yeah i left some hints about Fu fucking up and Gabriel being a shitty dad. about Adrien needing to see a therapist and all that.  
> and about Lila? you probably forgot but Adrien literally _sold his soul to the devil_ -Lila- during (s3e24: Ladybug)  
> so yeah adrien getting harassed and being unable to save himself? totally the kid's life...
> 
> the part about the boys putting themselves aside only to help, um, _theirselves(!)_ ,was sure confusing but it's actually one of my favorite parts. he so would do that


	3. A New Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> she's here.  
> she found him.  
> what now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to stay fair. I really did. (I don't know how good I managed.)

She expects him to bolt.

He probably would, if he was transform.

For a terrible second she thinks he might go so far to jump down ditransformed.

But his frozen. He’s staring at the portal like it’s a door to hell itself _it probably was for him_ he doesn’t seem to even _breathe_.

And then _she_ comes out.

It’s clearly Ladybug. Her future version at least. She looks at them with such a cold eyes that makes Marinette shudder. She then turns around and her eyes locks over her partner.

“What have you done?” Marinette is not at all ready for the vicious way she snaps at Noir. Her _partner_. She shivers again because, this is not _her_. She would never_

But she just did.

Her _future-self_ just did.

Noir stands up and stands in front of Adrien.

He tries to _hides_ him from the future Ladybug view.

“I wanted to save him.” His voice is shaken and he looks scared but he is trying to be strong. He is trying to _protect_ Adrien.

The older woman snaps at him. “You stole a miraculous from me!”

Noir flinch but he doesn’t move. “I had to.”

She yells at him. “Time is not for you to mess with. The future we worked so hard for, all of the Achievements, they are now going to all go to waste because you came here and did all _this_!” she gesture around and Marinette flinch.

What the hell is wrong with her? Can’t she see the way he’s trembling?

He tries to defend himself. “I wanted a happy life to!” he yells at her. “I didn’t want to die! Just because you end up to have a _happy_ life doesn’t mean_” she takes a fast step towards him. He backs away so hard that he almost fells.

She snarls. “The whole future, destroying all of that just for your own selfish desires_” Marinette finally snaps.

She runs in front of Noir and yell at _herself_. “That’s enough!” Ladybug stops. She blinks at her, she looks _surprised_. Marinette growls at her. “Selfish desires!? Are you fucking _blind_!?” the women back away a little. Good. She _should_ be scared.

She keeps yelling at her. “Can’t you see how bad he is shaking!? He is your _partner_! The silly kitty who like to tell puns and call you _my lady_!” tears rolls down her cheeks. “The very boy who is ready to _die_ for you any second! The one who _stick_ to you through good and bad! He is _Chat Noir_. He is your best friend! The person who knows you even better than your own parents!”

She yells at her crying. “LOOK AT HIM!”

Ladybug’s eyes snap to the man behind her.

The very _scared_ man behind her.

“LOOK AT WHAT DID YOU _DO_ TO HIM!” she is sobbing now. “He’s _scared_. He flinch by just _looking_ at you!” she take another step forward and clinch her fists. “You’re her partner and he’s _scared_ of you! He looks like a frighten kid!” she screech. “Did you forget your first day!?” she points at Noir. “He is the reason you’re here. Without him you would give up ages ago!” she then snarls.

“ _You are nothing without him._ ”

She is panting. She wants to scream more. To go and slap her. She wants to hurt the women in front of her as hard as she hurt _him_.

She feels someone standing next to her. Adrien takes her hand. She looks at him. He is face turned to stone. His eyes are burning with fire. He’s standing next to her. The nightmare in front of them is _her future_ and he still stood next to her to back her up.

She tear up again. He believes her. That the monster in front of them is not her.

(Not _yet_.)

He is trying to protect him. The man who went through all this just so _he_ can have another chance. A _better_ chance

“I…” Marinette stares at the woman again. She looks startle. She obviously didn’t expect all of this. And it _hurts_. That she thought they are going to just let her take him away. Take him to the very place he run _away_ from.

What an idiot. _She_ should know better than anyone that, they don’t go down without a _fight_.

“Stay away from him.” Adrien hisses at her. She looks at all of them and then sneer. “You know I’m her _future_ right?” Marinette flinch but Adrien snaps at her. “Not anymore!” he take a step towards her. “He came back for me!” he points at his future-self. “I don’t know what happened in the future or what went so wrong,” he gives her a disgust look. “I don’t know how you became like _this_ , but you are not my lady.” He then tugs at her hand and she goes and stand next to him again. “ _My lady_ tried to help me.” He emphasizes. “She tried to help _him_.” He adds with a husky voice. “The very person _you_ abandoned.”

She blinks a few times to clear her eyes of tears. They just end up rolling down. She stare down the women in front of her. The person who is _pretending_ to be her.

“I _refuse_ this future.” She tells her firmly. “I won’t become _you_.” The women look at them again. There is something in her eyes. She keeps blinking and looking at them over and over again. It looks like…  
like she is waking up. Her eyes seem clearer. Like removing a fog from her mind.

“STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!” Plagg sudden burst makes them all jump. He bolts and hovers in front of all of them. “What else do you want from him?” he snarls at her. “Why the hell do you even care? You abandoned my kid! You never gave him a chance! You just went ahead and had a _happy_ life with your boy, while my kit was _drowning_!”

Marinette startle. Happy life? What boy? Adrien and chat are the same person so how_

“If you love him so much so you two will sure end up together again.” Noir hoarse whisper answers her.

She moved on. She went and date someone else. But…

She glance over at Chat. But he… she always thought if it wasn’t for Adrien he would give Chat a chance so why…?

Noir put a hand on their shoulders. “I didn’t want to change your future.” He is shaking. “I just… I don’t care if you don’t love me _anymore_.” Marinette flinch and Adrien goes still. Plagg sneers. “If she ever loved you in the first place.” Ladybug opens her mouth to snap back but Noir shoves the kids behind him and snaps at her. “ _Don’t_.” he repeats more firmly. “Don’t start this _again_.” Marinette heart stops.

Was this what Plagg meant? Did they end up arguing over their love _just_ after reveal!?

She is suddenly so happy that they know. That it didn’t take them that long to find out. That they didn’t end up like _this_.

The future hero start again. “I didn’t did this for you to love me.” Ladybug stares at him but he just keeps going. “I didn’t come back to beg for love, I’m trying to save his _life_.” He points a finger at Adrien. “I’m not angry because you get the happy ending and I didn’t.” he shakes his head. “This is not about _you_.” he gesture to himself. “Look at me.” Ladybugs eyes snaps back at him.

He says with a dead voice. “Do you see it?” he takes a hand up. It’s shaking. “I’m a broken man. I have _mental disorders_.” He clutches his chest. “I’m twenty but have no control over _my_ _own life_.” He pats his chest to emphasize. “I’m _touch starved_. I starve for affection.” He’s voice keep getting duller. “I’m depressed. I need _help_.” He closes his eyes and starts to shake. He then open them and stares at the depth of her eyes. He whispers. “I tried to _kill_ _myself_ , Marinette.” The last words hit the women so bad that she fall on her knees.

Marinette looks at her future-self. She looks horrified. She didn’t know any of this, did she?

Noir kneel next to her and grabs her shoulders. “I don’t _want_ to die.” He tells her in a shaken voice. “But I can’t live like that anymore. I’m…I’m too deep in to get out.” He point at Adrien again. “But _he_ still has time. I _had_ _to_ Marinette.” He starts to cry. “It’s not _fair_. I didn’t do _anything_ to deserve this.” He shakes his head. “I wasn’t supposed to…it could be different.” He starts to shake her. “It would all go different. If we just _knew_. If we told each other just a little bit _sooner_.” Ladybug shakes her head and whimper “it _wasn’t_ _safe_.” He just looks more pained. “ _We weren’t safe_!”

He cups her face. “Don’t you see? It’s not even about _just_ _me_.” Ladybug shiver at his words. “When was the last time you had fun? You’re working your-self to death.” he clutch her arms. “We are _partners_ Ladybug. We were meant to work _together._ We are two half’s of a _whole_.” He then gesture to their younger-selves. “Look at them!”

Adrien flinch. Marinette grabs his hand and squeeze it. He turns his head and looks at her. She gives him a reassuring smile. He squeezes her hand back.

“Look at how we _were_. Look at how we _could_ be.” The teens turn to them again. Their older-selves were staring at them. He looks pained and she… she looks like she’s seeing everything for the first time in a long time.

“I don’t call our future a failure just because you end up with someone else.” He shakes her again. “This is more than that. I’m _depressed_ and you’re _neurotic_.” Marinette eyes go wide and look at the girl more closely.

He’s right. She is shaken and her movements are jerky. She has bags under her eyes and her cold attitude earlier was so wired and it wasn’t like her at all. Because this is _not_ her. This is a nervous _girl_ trying to do everything by _herself_. She is still better than _him_ though.

“You’re not as drowned as me. You have a happier life. You have a good family, a team to relay on. You manage to find someone that loves you and you love back.” He then point to himself. “I’m not lucky like _you_.”

Marinette winch.

The woman’s head drops.

“But even _you_ couldn’t keep going like _that_.” He grabs her chin and makes her to look at him. “How do you want us to save the world when we can’t even save _ourselves_?”

That one finally breaks the camel’s back.

Ladybug suddenly burst to tears and hugs her partner. “I’m so sorry!” he hugs her back like he was waiting for this moment forever. “I’m so sorry to don’t see all of this sooner. I…” she shakes her head, Back away and cups his cheeks. She cries harder. “What did I do to _you_?”

Marinette hides her face in Adrien’s chest and slowly cry. He hugs her tight and cry silently himself.

Ladybug’s transformation drops in a burst of light. Tikki looks at all of them and then looks at her chosen. She looks tired and defeated, looking at the shaken women heartbroken. “Oh Marinette…” she coos in a pitiful voice. The girls head is down on her partner’s chest and her hands are clutching his shoulders.

“ _What have I done?_ ” she asks miserably.

The sound of sobs and crying people around her, is her only answer.

*****

Ladybug cried for a long time.

They all did to be honest.

She stick to her partner all the while and didn’t leave his embrace for the slightest second.

Marinette has no idea how long it took but they finally come down.

“I’m _so sorry_.” Ladybug repeats for the Thousandth time to all of them. “I… I don’t know what I was thinking.” She looks over at her. “All the things you said, all of them, they are true.” Noir stare at her, shocked. She sense that. “It’s true, _all_ _of It._ ” she looks at her partner and tries to make him believe it. “I don’t know how all of this happened.” She gesture to herself. “This… this is not me. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me. It was like… like I was walking in a fog_”

“It’s the stress.” Adrien murmurs next to her. They all sort of ended up on the ground, sitting together.

Marinette looks over at her partner.

He quietly continues. “Ladybug you… you were trying to do so many thing all by _your-self_ and… the stress and anxiety of being the leader and doing so many things in a short time. Keep thinking about don’t having enough time, not having enough sleep or any time to relax, they all took a toll on you.”

When Marinette don’t look away he give her a sheepish look from the corner of his eyes and shrug. “Busy schedule.”

He whispers and Noir flinch.

Ladybug hugs him tighter.

And Marinette?

She is busy finding a way to kill Gabriel Agreste without going to jail.

(Some time in the future, she _does_.

Happy is the _least_ of her feelings though.)

Marinette looks at all of them once and then stares at the kwamis. To be exact the future Tikki. “Plagg tried to tell our kwamis as much about as he could. But,” she looks at her future-self again. “I think we need to hear your side of the story too.” Tikki nods slowly. “I tell them.”

She then looks at the future heroes with worried eyes. “I’m not going to _hurt_ her Tikki.” Noir tells her in a calm voice.

Tikki looks slightly ashamed but she doesn’t do more than flying away with the rest of their kwamis.

Ladybug whispers. “Maybe you should.” Her partner just shakes his head. He moves away from the hug and seat next to her.

The two couples now were face to face.

The future facing the past.

It was rather funny.

“You know if we are going to talk to each other,” Marinette start in a low voice but the future her stops her with an eye roll. “Just call me Ladybug and call him Chat Noir. You take the civilian names.” Her reply bring a smile over Chat Noir face for a second.

Even after everything that happened, all the things that went wrong, they were still thinking alike. They were still close, somewhere deep in their heart.

“About what you said earlier.” Chat leans back at his hands and looks away. “About maybe I should hurt you,” he stops and then sigh. He looks at her partner. “I don’t hate you.” Ladybug stares at him with disbelief, Chat steal his look away. “You hurt me and made did a lot of mistakes yes, but, people make mistakes all the time.”

Ladybug calls firmly. “Chat. You _run away_ from me to the past to _save_ _yourself_.”

He flinch. “Yeah Ok maybe you messed up a little too bad.”

Ladybug keeps staring at him like he just said he’s Howkmoth.

Chat rubes the back of his neck and tries to explain. “Look! That’s not the point, ok? Yes, our argument _just_ after we found out the others identity hurt. Like a lot. You fucked up about that pretty bad, I got to say.”

Ladybug flinch and for the thousandth time she wonders what happened during that time.

Chat rushes to continue. “But that’s not all of it. I didn’t just came back here to stop the whole future just because of that.”

Ladybug murmurs. “You did it because I was being a horrible friend and partner.”

Chat winch. “Yeah. I mean, no! It’s not that!” he then huffs in frustration. “Look! The thing is that we were kids.” He then points to Marinette and Adrien. “We were only fourteen and then we were chosen to be heroes. And master Fu_” he pauses. “He wasn’t the best guide.” His thick voice says otherwise though. That, it’s for sure an _underestimate_.

“He kept favoring you. He made you the new guardian, he trained you and told you everything. While I didn’t even know he exist until you _begged_ him.” Chat put a hand on his partner shoulder. “He put so much pressure on you and kept me completely in the dark.”

“Who is master Fu?” Adrien silent whisper make them all freeze.

Oh shit.

Marinette forgot that he doesn’t know yet.

Ladybug glances to the side. “ _When_ , are we?”

“It’s the day_ well, night_ after glaciator.” Chat tells her. She stare at him with shock. “The day you confess to me?” The boy tries to defend himself. “I didn’t want him to get catch up in the love tangle mess. He would end up trying to contest _himself_!” he then silently adds. “And Fu’s influence didn’t get strong just yet.”

He turns to Adrien. “He is an old man. He’s the person who gave you your miraculous.” He then jolts his head towards Marinette. “Ask the rest from your partner. She got a lot to tell you.” Adrien turns his head and looks at Marinette with curiosity. She answers him under breathe. “I tell you everything latter. I swear.” Adrien, being the sunshine sweetie he is, easily accepts.

Marinette looks at Ladybug. “To be honest I wanted to slap you the second I saw you.”

Chat’s jaw drops and Adrien snorts.

Ladybug just gives her a sad smile. “It would probably help to open my eyes. The things you screamed at my face sure did.” Marinette shrugs sheepishly. “You just really pissed me of and about the slapping,” she looks over at Chat. “When he arrived here, he was in a really bad shape,”

Not that he was fine now, but he was at least better.

“And then you came and said all those stuff and I really was at verge of punching you, but then you started crying and apologized.” She looks back at her again. “I don’t know what happened in the future but I’m thankful that he came here to tell us all of this.” She glance over at Adrien and lock their hands. “Because you two clearly are not ok. And I never thought about how our partnership can get damage by one side knowing more than the other.” She looks back at them and nod. “But now I do and I’m not going to make the same mistakes. One time was too many.”

Adrien squeezes her hand to comfort her.

To remind her that it’s ok.

That they’re going to be fine.

That the future in front of them is not going to happen.

Not anymore.

“I’m glad.” Ladybug smiles with sorrow. “I sure messed up but you protect him ok?” she jolt her head towards Adrien and Marinette nods.

“You know I was worried you will show up out of the blue and drag me back to the future,” Ladybug hunches her shoulders, Chat Noir continues, oblivious. “But seriously how did you come here?”

“I brought her.”

They all snap around to see the once again open portal and the red hair woman in a rabbit themed body suit standing in front of it.

She raises her hand. “Hey. It’s Bunnix.”

Marinette and Adrien wave back, hesitant.

“How?” Chat raise an eyebrow and asks.

“You know you created a new future, right?” Bunnix tells him.

Chat nods. “I hoped so.”

The red head shrugs. “You did. I’m from that one.”

“Wait!” Adrien frowns. “If there is a new future then how are they still here? I thought_” he pause but they already know what he wanted to say.

“There is a time paradox. The other future isn’t supposed to exist anymore but as long as they’re here,” Bunnix point at the time travelers. “It can’t completely fade. I’m here to take them back with me.”

“That makes sense,” Adrien frowns. “But that doesn’t explain why did you brought _her_ here.” He jerk his head towards Ladybug.

“If not, we wouldn’t know the whole story.” Marinette murmurs. Everyone turn to look at her. She continues, this time louder. “We needed to hear the story from her perspective too. If not we would end up having some… _misunderstandings._ ”

She would end up blaming herself for being a horrible person. She still does but at least she now knows not everything was her fault. She didn’t end up ignoring Chat or not realizing his problems because she was an idiot or bad partner, she had some errors yes, but she also wasn’t in the right foot.

They were both hurt.

Chat a little more.

“That’s, actually a pretty nice reason.” Bunnix says while nodding her head in approval. “Never make decisions without hearing the whole story, from all sides.”

Marinette quirk an eyebrow. “Wait! Wasn’t this your reason?” Bunnix just gives her a nonchalant shrug. “Reasons and my job don’t really get along. I just _knew_ , I should do this for the time paradox to dissolve, so I did it.”

Adrien titles his head to the side, looking just like a curios kitten. “But don’t you get curios?”

The woman laugh. “I enjoy it more this way, you should search to find the reason yourself. It’s fun.” She then turns to future heroes. “If you guys are finished, I’ll take you back to your own time.” They nod and call out for the kwamis.

“Take care of him, ok?” the future Plagg tells Marinette.

She would feel annoyed of everyone keep telling her that, if she wasn’t extremely happy that there were people who were worried about her partner.

People who cared about him.

(People who were going to disappear in a few minutes…  
Her kitty really didn’t have anyone.)

(He has _her_. He _always_ has her.)

The Destruction kwami nuzzles the blond face one last time and then go back to his own chosen.

“I’m so sorry Marinette.” The future Tikki says in a sad voice. “I should been a better advisor.” Marinette cups her hand around the little kwami and smiles. “It’s ok Tikki. Everyone makes mistakes.” She adds gently. “No one is perfect.”

She notice the way the boys eyes zoom on her after that statement.

Once again she locks the reaction in the full-to-the-brim box for latter.

The little Ladybug then goes to Adrien and apologize again.

“It’s ok, really. As my lady said, everyone makes mistakes.” Adrien pet her head and tells her kindly. “Just because you’re a kwami who lived for millennia, doesn’t mean you can’t make bad choices.”

Tikki smiles. “Now I can see why Plagg called you his best Chat Noir.”

“He did!?” Adrien turn to stare at his kwami, sitting on his shoulder.

“Yeah kid.” Plagg rolls his eyes and says that like it’s the most obvious fact in the world. “You really are the best Chat Noir I had. And I’ve been around since the beginning of time, so that means a lot.”

Adrien smiles and blush lightly. “Oh! Thanks Plagg. I love you too.”

The kwami just rolls his eyes again. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

Marinette is sure the way he seems a little brighter is the sign of him blushing.

Though blush or not, he seems happy to hear that as much as his chosen.

The future heroes then transform and get ready to go. Ladybug nods towards Marinette one last time and walk to the bright portal. Chat Noir has one foot in when Adrien cry out and run towards him.

“Wait!”

The man turns around, only for Adrien to hit him in the chest.

“ _Thank you._ ”

He hugs him tightly and repeat. “Thank you for coming back for me. For trying to help me. To _save_ me.”

Chat tear up and hugs him back.

Marinette sheds a few tears herself.

Adrien then steps back and smiles. “I never forget this. I promise.”

Chat Noir just smiles and ruffles the boy blond locks.

“Have a happy life kid.”

Then turns around and follows his partner.

They stay in silent for a few moments after the portal disappears. Soaking up everything that just happen.

“It’s over.” Marinette walks to her partner and whispers softly.

“Crazy night huh?” He gave her shoulder a nudge with a little smile, his eyes still remaining at where the portal was.

“What now?” She suddenly asks. Turn her head and look up at him.

He stare back and squeeze her hand. “We make a better future. Together.”

She smiles and nods.  
She likes that plan.  
A lot.

“You and me against the world _Chaton.”_

He smiles back and kiss her.

And for the first time, Plagg doesn’t groan about _gross mushy feelings_.

Just watch, in silence, looking as happy as his other half.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plagg...  
> he didn't hear good stuff. so he's just happy to see the kid happy for now.
> 
> how was the ending?  
> tell me what do you think!  
> p.s: i might or might not add an aftermath.


End file.
